"Adelhart of the Hallowguard"

1

“So the Thieves Guild is after you, and you don’t know why?” asked Montgomery, behind his mustache, now without his helmet.

“Yes, I have no idea what they would want with me. I’m just a simple girl, you know, I was just working, and there they came.” Lorna replied, unamused, leaning on the wall of the small room the group was being held in.

“Didn’t you say something about your parents, Miss Lorna..?” said Khaen, and was immediately incinerated by Lorna’s gaze upon him.

“No, I didn’t say anything about my parents. They’re dead. That’s it.” she responded, crustily.

Montgomery sighed and looked over at the other man, the blonde knight who stood beside him.

“What do you think, Adel?” he asked the man.

“I think, if they were attacked by the Thieves Guild, we should make sure they are well protected, at least for the next few days, while we investigate the incident,” Adelhart replied. His voice was soft and pleasant. He sounded like an angel.

“We appreciate, sir, but we do not need protection. We can take care of ourselves, me and the boy.” promptly responded Garthas.

The five of them were in a meeting room, inside the Guard's main post in the city. While the assassins were taken to the jail, they were brought there, to share everything they knew with the Guard.

“I know. I saw what you did back there, sir Garthas. But still, I wouldn’t sleep in peace knowing I could have done more to help you, and your friends. I believe my friend Monty here feels the same.” Adel continued, gesturing at Montgomery, who just shrugged it off.

“It’s the duty of the City Guard to protect its citizens, permanent or temporary. We wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we just let you guys go, just to find one of you gutted in a backstreet in a few weeks.” Montgomery finally said, seeming unwavering.

Lorna sighed, tired of it all. She knew if it wasn’t for Khaen and Garthas she would be dead right now. But to be placed under the protection of the City Guard would complicate her own investigations.

As for the other two, being new to the city, there was not much they could do. Relying on others to protect himself and the boy was not something Garthas was used to.

“Why don’t you have them join your Guild, Adel? They certainly seem capable of holding their own when things get tough.” Montgomery suggested to Adelhart, who seemed to like the idea.

“Guild?! You mean, like, an Artisan’s Guild or something of the sort?” Khaen seemed actually excited about the idea.

“Well, more like an Adventurer’s Guild, honestly,” Adelhart answered the boy, seemingly proud of this accomplishment.

The young boy’s eyes widened and a smile grew on his lips. He turned to Garthas but didn’t say anything. Then he looked at Adelhart again, Lorna, and finally back at Garthas.

“Did you hear that!? We are being invited into a Guild! A real Adventurer’s Guild! This is so awesome!” He glowed like an orb of light.

“I don’t know about that, Khaen…” said Garthas, simply, with a gruff voice.

“It’s called Hallowguard. We are a new company, yes, but with the help of Pearlhollow, we intend on expanding our services throughout all of Routhen.” continued Adelhart, smiling as he spoke.

“And what ‘services’ are those, sir Adelhart?” questioned Lorna, afraid to be in front of a new troupe of thugs, like the Thieves Guild.

“We aim to help those in need, in these trying times. We know that the war has ravaged many a land and that folks are having a hard time getting back to their usual lives, now that it’s all over. That’s where we come in. Be it to rid a village of a new gang that rose during the war, clear a grove from monsters that took residence there, or even recover an important object that was lost or stolen, the people of Routhen can count on the Hallowguard to help them rebuild and recover, and start anew.”

This explanation left everyone in the room speechless. When he spoke, his words seemed so pure, so real, it touched even Garthas for a moment. Adelhart certainly seemed like a holy man, with a noble cause. Since no one seemed to be going to say anything, Adelhart himself continued.

“By the way, my name is Adelhart, from the divine bloodline of Tyche, Holy Knight of Bellemora. But you can call me Adel.”

“‘Bellemora?” said Garthas immediately, pulled away from his trance by that word.

“I’m Khaen Mehrnia, a Spellcaster, and a follower of the Sun God Amon-Rha. This is my friend Garthas Arwynax, he is a Templar of Apollyon, the Northern God of the Sun.” excited, Khaen continued the presentations.

As everyone knew Montgomery to be the head of the City Guard by now, all eyes went to Lorna, on the far side of the room.

“I’m Lorna Crawford. A regular average girl from Pearlhollow.” she finally said, drily.

After a moment of silence, as each one took their time to take it all in and process the new information they received, it was Adel who broke the silence again.

“So, yes, this is a formal invitation, for the three of you, to join the Hallowguard Guild, as full-fledged members. There are going to be a few trials, just to assess your skills and make sure we are not putting anyone in danger, but yes, I’d be honored to have you join us.” he smiled, and opened his arms with a raised palm as if waiting for a hug or a handshake from one of them.

“We’ll have to think. We’ve been traveling for too long, and we are too tired to make such a big decision on the fly. We’ll discuss it in the morning.” Garthas finally replied, looking at Khaen at the end of his sentence.

Khaen on the other hand was clearly super excited. But since that was the plan they had come up with that morning, he intended on following it. So he held himself, and just nodded, confirming and accepting what his mentor had said.

“I alone have no intention of being a part of a group of any kind.” cut Lorna, but then continued. “But I owe you guys one, and if you do join, I’ll follow you. After all, you saved my life. I have to at least repay that.”

She smiled a bit at that last part, mainly because she knew that being part of that guild could actually help her have access to more information and extra resources that would be otherwise too far from her reach.

“There is no debt between us, Miss Lorna. We do what we do out of our own minds and hearts. You don’t need to feel obliged to follow us if that’s not your own wish.” replied Khaen, kindly, touching the girl’s shoulder.

From behind them, Montgomery let out a contained laugh.

“It seems you got yourself just what you were looking for Adel: a group of good-hearted adventurers.”

Regardless of their decision, the trio were invited to spend the night at the Guild’s Main Headquarters in Pearlhollow, for their own safety. Montgomery was adamant about that, and they felt no need to disagree.

Three rooms were made available, one for each one of them. At first, Garthas was reluctant to sleep in a different room from Khaen altogether, but seeing the structure of the Guild - the security, the installation, the position of the rooms, he decided to take it easy and let the boy be on his own for a bit. That’s something he always struggled with keeping balance: where does ‘protecting’ end and ‘pressuring’ start? For tonight, though, he wouldn’t pressure Khaen.

After freshening up and getting acquainted with the building, the trio reunited at the table for dinner. Garthas and Khaen hadn’t finished their meal at the Tavern because of the attack on Lorna, so they were happy to try again now.

The Common Dining Room had a high ceiling and long tables all around. It had a counter as well, and an open wall dividing it from the kitchen. It very much looked like a tavern, but one where everyone ate together. Today, the place was half full. Lorna, Garthas, and Khaen were sitting by the end of one of the shorter tables.

“I’ve been living in this city my whole life, and it’s the first time I feel like the Thieves Guild will have a run for their money. I mean, if this ‘Hallowguard’ thing is real, it’s the real deal!”

Lorna started, while not many people were sitting near them yet, for only Garthas and Khaen to hear. The boy was the first to answer.

“Are you kidding?! Look at them! This is so awesome! This is a real Adventurer’s Guild. There’s a huge change the next ‘Heroes of Routhen’ will come from this group.”

Garthas chuckled but didn’t say anything, taking the tankard in his hand to his mouth, to have a taste of the ale. He found it ‘refreshing’.

“Yeah, but will they have what it takes to gain everyone’s trust? You know, after everything we’ve all been through, I’m not sure it’s going to be an easy thing.”

As the drinks came one by one, Lorna also picked a cup of ale for herself.

“It would be an honor to be a part of an organization like this, aimed at helping people, instead of only making a profit. A lot of good-willed adventurers will join in no time, you will see!”

Picking a glass of wine, Khaen replied and immediately looked at Garthas. The Dragonkin didn’t even seem to have listened to what he said. Instead, it was Lorna again to conclude the conversation.

“Not all of them, you will see. Most mercenaries are in it only for the money. If there is no money, they won’t be interested. Or even worse, they’ll take what’s not theirs!”

Seeing the uneasy expression on Khaen’s face, Garthas finally joined in.

“And so, capable people like you and I, have to step up and take a stand. Evil will only triumph if Good does nothing to stop it.”

The boy’s eyes lit up and he smiled at his tutor’s reply, sensing his words as an acceptance to join the guild. But before he could say anything regarding this decision, Garthas continued.

“That’s why I find it strange they offered us a place here, in the Guild, before getting to know us more thoroughly. For all they know, we’re a pair of fugitives hiding from the law after committing atrocious crimes in a country far away…”

The happy look on Khaen’s face faded, as he was reminded of their real situation. Even if not criminals, they were indeed fugitives, and depending on the Cult of the Sun’s influence, could even be considered ‘outlaws’. He lowered his head and stared vaguely at his drink. Lorna raised an eyebrow as well, considering that background, but ultimately shook her head.

“Nah, you guys are no criminals. Believe me, I would know. This one is too wide-eyed and absent-minded to a murderer, hahaha!”

She pointed at Khaen as she spoke, who in turn seemed offended at the adjectives. But it was Garthas who replied to Lorna, with a low voice, and a stern look.

“And you, miss Lorna… have you killed someone? Would you?”

A moment of silence hung between the trio, and no laughter or loud voice from the outside could penetrate it. It seemed as if time stopped for a second there, as Lorna stared dumbfounded and thoughtfully at the Templar.

“N-no, I… I would never b-... I mean. No, I’ve never killed anyone, sir Garthas. And I have no intention to.”

Garthas acknowledged the answer but didn’t say anything. Khaen didn’t dare say anything else, and Lorna seemed distressed now.

By then, food had arrived, so they started to eat their meal in silence.

They ate dinner without much hurry, savoring every bite, the mood of the place, and the possibility of a quiet and uneventful night. The food actually tasted better than the one from the Tavern - but maybe it was just the atmosphere of the Guild.

By the time they were finishing their plate, two men approached and sat beside the trio. One of them was Adelhart, still in full armor, but without his sword or the large shoulder pads. The other was an older man, a Human reaching his 50s, dark-skinned, with very short black hair and a serious complexion. He wore light clothes, and had a wooden staff on his hand, adorned with runes and golden symbols.

“I would like to introduce you to the co-founder of the Hallowguard Guild, Lügner, my old friend and the voice of reason in my group.”

Adel said, as soon as they were seated. Lügner nodded, taking his time and looking at everyone there at the table for more than a moment. He seemed to analyze each one of them, as Adel continued with the presentations.

“And there are, possibly, our new recruits, Lügner: Lorna, Khaen, and Garthas. We…. came across each other earlier today.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Lügner. Quite the place you’ve built here, one of the best structures I’ve seen around Routhen.”

It was Garthas who replied, moving the conversation away from them, instead focusing on the Guild. Lügner went on, with his deep voice.

“It’s a dream many years in the coming, even before the war, before the Schism. I always felt Routhen needed an independent force to look after the people, not tied to the Council, the Empire, or any one Kingdom. This is what we hope to achieve with the Hallowguard.”

“Like the Magistrate?”

Khaen asked Lügner, after his introduction of the backstory. Adel was the one who replied.

“Yeah, kind of like the Magistrate is, in relation to Magic and the Arcana. But we intend on acting more, taking things into our own hands, and be available to everyone that needs us. Don’t get me wrong, I have friends at the Magistrate and they are all very kind and cooperative, but I feel they could do more than they actually do at the moment.”

“Isn’t it because of their relation to the secluded Elves of Asirandell?”

Lorna asked, having heard something about it sometime in the past. Adel pondered for a moment and answered, but didn’t seem too certain of his words.

“Probably, yes. It’s hard to tell. There hasn’t been much discussion with the Elves about it, and since they have no representatives outside Atherus, I believe this conversation never happened.”

A moment of silence surrounded the group once more, as the trio finished their meals. After a few moments, Adel started again, stating his intentions for the conversation that would follow.

“I brought Lügner here to talk to us, and to help me explain the philosophy behind the Hallowguard, so you can make an educated decision when the time comes.”

The group nodded, and with their meals finished, they turned all their attention to the duo of founders. Adel began.

“I believe all of you noticed, but I have a Divine bloodline. I am what they call Lightborn. I am a descendant of the Goddess Tyche, be it from one of her Avatars or some form of ancestral relationship to her. The fact is that, due to that, I have special ‘traits’, such as channeling divine energy, and extended lifespan.”

It explained a lot about Adelheart, actually. His overpowering presence, his sweet, almost angelical voice, and that aura that emanates from him. Garthas was familiar with the term, but Lorna and Khaen had little knowledge past the basics. Adel continued.

“Maybe because of this, but I always felt the need to do whatever was in my power to help those in need and protect the ones who could not protect themselves. Since I was born into a noble and wealthy family, that was something easy for me. I spent many years studying about life, the world, history, and everything I could find in books, to arm myself with the knowledge needed to perform this job well. That was how I met Lügner, he was a scholar at my parent’s Estate, and he taught me a lot about me, cosmology, and the energies that drive fate and the world.”

“When was that?”

Lorna interrupted, to get a better sense of the timeline of the events. It was Lügner who replied.

“Over 20 years ago, and a city that is no more, in the center of Routhen.”

“And you look exactly the same, my friend, you haven’t aged a day since I met you! I am Lightborn, but you are the one truly blessed by the Gods.”

Adel joked but soon continued.

“It was at that time that the idea of an organized group came to our minds. It was called ‘Oakheart’ back then, in homage to an ancient Oak Tree that existed there. But it never ‘took root’, if you forgive me the play of words. So I decided to leave by myself and do what I could with what I had learned, and what I was capable of. And I spent my years traveling all over Routhen, building a reputation and building character, so it could pay off now, in this second attempt.”

“Then the war came. And we knew we needed to do more, to be more, to really make a difference.”

Lüger completed, bringing the story to a more relatable context. Adel took the hook and went from it.

“After so many years, I was happy to be approached by my old friend Lügner once again, and by then, we had already grown so much, forged new alliances, and had our own groups. Together with Thalia, Zander, and Ravie - you’ll meet them all later I’m sure, we started what was then simply a Party of Adventurers. And with time, using the connections built on these last years, the group turned into a bigger group, then into a band, and a small army, and now it’s a Guild, that spreads all over Routhen, thinly, yet, yes, but there is great potential.”

With the backstory of the Hallowguard guild presented to them, the trio had a clearer view of the goals and what the Guild stands for. But Lorna’s question still caught everyone off guard.

“What about mercenaries, ex-convicted, criminals… do you accept them? Thieves, murderers even. Do they have a place here?”

The conversation with Garthas from moments ago came to her mind, and that was the perfect time to understand the Guild’s position in this debate. Were they all talk, or was there really something there? It was Lügner who answered the girl.

“We believe in second chances. The Past does not define the Future, the Present does. If one is willing to be better and do good, then they do have a place here. We believe everyone deserves a second chance, to try again and do the right thing this time.”

Seeing the expression, especially on the Templar’s face, Adel added.

“But it doesn’t mean we would put any of our members in danger. There are ranks within the Guild, and these are used to make sure everyone is following the Guild’s vision and values, and to protect them from the ones who don’t?”

“How so?”

Khaen asked, and after thinking for a few seconds, Adel exemplified.

“Let’s say a group is out on a mission and one person is stealing and harming innocents. We have ways to just teleport this person back to a Headquarter, and deal with them later. Yes, that would leave the group with one or two fewer people to complete the mission, but it’s better than risking their safety. Another example is a group of former mercenaries being led by a trustworthy general or two. That way, we keep building trust among the members, and also between them and the people we protect.”

The answer seemed to satisfy Lorna and the others, so the conversation had come to an end. Standing up, followed by Lüger, Adel felt like his mission there was accomplished.

“Well, I only wished to give you all a view into our minds and what we stand for. I hope it’ll help you decide when the time comes. For now, have a good night!”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

With a nod of his head, Lügner also saw himself off, and the trio was left to their own. Not much more was discussed that night. They had a lot to think about. In the end, the purpose of the Hallowguard reflects much about themselves, and they knew it. A second chance to understand who they are aside from everyone around them, a new opportunity to do the right thing despite all the wrongs being done to them, a new way to live and to be alive, for real this time.

Soon after, each one of them went to their rooms, where they would rest for the night.

Lorna laid in her bed awake for most of the night. It had been a very weird day, very different from what she had imagined when she got up this morning.

She noticed that, since the attack, she hadn’t thought about her parents or the journal, something that hadn’t happened yet since she found it. But now that it came to mind, it was all too much. The secrets she was trying to uncover, the Thieves Guild, and now Hallowguard. She felt so small, amidst it all.

Before falling asleep, she thought of a small sailboat, lost at sea in the middle of a growing storm. It bounced from wave to wave, almost turning every time, but it kept afloat. It was hard and required too much effort. Maybe it would be easier if the boat was bigger, or if there were more of them…

She didn’t dream.

Khaen on the other hand fell asleep almost immediately! He was very tired from the journey and from all the action during the day. He was also very excited, so maybe that’s why he dreamed of being a great Hero, leading an army against creatures of the Dark, shining down his own Light to expel the Shadow all over the nations! Together with him, he had his companions, a real group of Adventurers, the ‘New Heroes of Routhen’.

After praying, Garthas felt the place secure enough to remove all of his armor. It was the first time in ages that he did that before going to sleep, and that made things much more comfortable, that was certain. So much that it may have even eased his mind about all the ‘joining a Guild’ thing. It was an important decision, one he could not take lightly. It would impact not only his way of living but also that of Khaen.

But he also knew they couldn’t run forever, and this was the perfect chance to settle down. The boy deserved that much and needed that in order to understand his place in the world. Garthas could not shell him from that. With that structure, they would both have the chance to do more and grow, together.

Morning came and Garthas was the first to be up, having had a tranquil night, unlike any he could remember. After finishing his prayer for the morning, he was surprised by a knock on his door.

It was Khaen, and it seemed he had just woken up. His eyes were swollen from the sleep, but they were also shining, and he sounded very hopeful when he spoke.

“Garthas, I want to join the Hallowguard. I want to become a Hero.”

After the breakfast (served for 4 hours, starting at 5am), Adel called upon Lorna, Khaen, and Garthas. They gathered in a smaller room, with Lügner and Adel himself. Even though they were 5 at the head of the Guild, as Adel mentioned earlier, it seemed that those two were the real leaders of the Hallowguard.

The room they were in had a large table at its center, made of wood, thick and apparently very sturdy. Atop the table was a huge map of Routhen and its adjacent islands and seas. There were pins at certain locations, some blue, some red, some yellow. There were also a few notes all over the map, small handwritten words, as a comment or direction.

“Well, I don’t mean to pressure you, but there are a few things we need to attend to, and we may not have the time to integrate you into the Guild, should you decide to stay, come tomorrow. Our official Opening will happen in a few days and there are still some things to sort out - I’m not going to lie, we could use some help with a few of those things.”

Adel started, explaining why he had called them. Lügner went a little further.

“If you decline the invitation, nothing will change. You’ll still be welcome here for the next few days, and once the Guard declares your safety is guaranteed in the City, we will have done our part, and our paths may part. However, if you decide to stay, and we are not here to ‘accelerate’ things for you, you’ll have to wait until after the Official Ceremony to be considered full members of the Guild, and go through the regular process with Mariet at the frontdesk and wait for your individual evaluations. What we offer he–”

“No, that’s okay. We already made up our minds.”

Garthas cut Lügner explanation and looked over at Khaen, who seemed to be doing his best to keep his composure. The Dragonkin continued then.

“Khaen and I talked this morning, and…. we decided to accept the offer, stay here in Pearlhollow for the moment, and be a part of the Hallowguard.”

The young spellcaster's smile shone brightly in that lamp-illuminated room, as he nodded in agreement to what Garthas had said. Adel also smiled widely, while Lügner’s was more timid.

“That’s great news! I’m so happy to hear it and honored you decided we are worthy of your time and services. Thank you, thank you very much, Garthas, Khaen. Be assured your expectations will not be in vain!”

Shaking hands with both of them, an unspoken way to seal the deal, Adel turned to Lorna now. She needed to decide as well, and her decision would be the most important. After all, it was all because of her that they were now in this place. She took her time as if thinking about her options only now. After a while, she let out a long sigh and said.

“Ah, Hells, I’ll join you guys too. It’s not like working at a Tavern was my dream job, so… At least I get to know why I was attacked.”

With a more modest smile now, Adel turned to Lorna to shake her hand as well.

“I’ll be sure to put your efforts to good use, Miss Lorna. And set up a proper course of investigation, together with the Guard, to uncover their reasons for the attack.”

She accepted the greeting, as Lügner pulled a few pages of paper from one of the shelves in the room. He brought them to the table, as Adel explained the next steps.

“To be completely honest, we don’t like that bureaucratic part too much, but it’s something needed, so we can keep everything organized and have a record of everyone that is with us. So I will need you to fill out a few forms for me, regarding your admission to the Guild. They are not very long and have only a few more personal questions. Most of the information we need is your skills and abilities, past jobs, and people or organizations that may know you, one way or another.”

As Adel spoke, Lügner handed out the papers. The Knight continued.

“But that’s not the important part, not right now. As I mentioned, we have a few things to take care of before the event. And one of these things is to recover a piece of the Broken Holy Shield of Bellemora, that was stolen from us, on its way to the city.”

That caught everyone’s attention, for one reason or the other, and the trio was not looking at the forms in the papers anymore but had their eyes and ears on Adel, who continued.

“As you may have seen, the Guild’s Emblem is a Shield Broken in three pieces. This is a representation of Bellemora’s Unbreakable Holy Shield, which was shattered in the battle against Steros, that ended the war. I managed to recover two of those pieces myself, that were looted, sold to black markets, and even tempered with by some shady groups. The last piece was finally found a few months ago, and through my contacts, I secured its ownership and had it sent to Pearlhollow, for the Official Inauguration Ceremony. The problem is that the convoy was attacked by bandits before getting to Pearlhollow, and the cargo was taken to their hideout.”

By then, the group already knew what their mission would be, and were already coming up with plans or imagining themselves fighting hallways of thugs inside an unlit cavern. The final directions were given by Lügner.

“It will be your mission, should you choose to accept it, to raid their hideout and secure the cargo of the convoy that was intercepted in transit to Pearlhollow. Also, you are to retrieve the Shield piece and keep it safe, with you. Once the place is clear and the cargo is recovered, the Guard will be called to collect the cargo too big to be carried by hand. With you, only the Shield is important, and it is the most important thing there. Understood? Any question?”

Neither Garthas nor Khaen had questions at this moment. But Lorna seemed to have.

“Is this our test? Like, a trial, to make sure we are good and worthy of the Guild?”

Adel let out a small laugh and replied.

“In a way, yes. I found it the perfect opportunity to test your skills and to measure your reliability, all the while taking care of a problem we would have to take care of anyway…”

Lorna nodded, understanding all of the layers the mission had to them. Garthas took the opportunity to question something himself.

“When do we leave?”

Again, it was Lügner who gave the last few details of information for the mission.

“Get done with the formulary first. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Once it’s done, come meet me at my office, and I’ll give you the full briefing, the map to the place, what to expect, and so on.”

The trio nodded, and without any extra doubts, they left, leaving Lügner and Adelhart at the War Room. The duo waited a few moments, listening to the footsteps getting further away from them until they disappeared altogether. It was Adel who spoke first.

“I was thinking Zander and Ravie. But they are not here, right?”

“No, they are on a mission of their own. I already spoke to Thalia about this, she’s more than happy to accompany them.”

Lügner replied, his serious tone complementing the deep voice. A great contrast to Adel’s own smooth voice.

“No, have her tail them. Ask her not to interfere, unless totally necessary. I want to see how well they do on their own.”

The other man acknowledged the request and completed.

“I’m more concerned with how they are going to do it. I’m not sure they have what it takes.”

With a chuckle, Adel turned to face the map on the table, placing his hands on the wood.

“You doubt too much, my old friend. They’ll come through, you’ll see. I believe in them.”

With the administrative chores out of the way, the group met with Lügner, who shared with them what they had on the bandits and their hideout.

It was not much, really, but enough to go on. Apart from the layout of the place and a map to get there unnoticed, he had things like their numbers, who their members were, and what kind of attitude to expect from them, considering the crimes they were assumed to have done.

Overall, a pretty simple job, Garthas considered, but he was still apprehensive for Khaen, since this was to be his first real mission. Anything else they had done in the past was either storming an unoccupied ruin or escaping from a city or two. This time, things would be different, they were the attacking ones.

There was also Lorna, who he didn’t know how was going to react in case of a battle. There was not much opportunity to see her in action before, and he could not gauge her skills yet. He would have to keep an eye open on them, both of them.

Lorna herself was a bit nervous. The fact that Lügner said that this band was mostly highway thieves - as opposed to murderers and killers, made her a little more at ease, but still, they were still going to hit back. She was wondering if she had what it takes for this adventuring life. For some reason, Lady Rocheveron’s words came to her mind, ‘You don’t have to know everything from the start. But you got to start somewhere. And if you have the will to go beyond, then go beyond.’ She would start there, yes.

The most excited among them was definitely Khaen. The boy couldn’t wait until they got there to infiltrate a hideout, take out some bandits, recover the stolen Artifact, and save the day! Seeing this from this perspective, it may even seem a bit too much for them, for their first mission. But this was just a passing thought. He was eager to get going and to everything he learned from Garthas to test and prove he was not a kid anymore, and he could take care of his own. He just hoped it was true. But it was, right? I mean… he could take it. Surely.

And with all the information in hand, the next step was to get ready and devise a plan. That was something that Garthas had to bring to the group. The younger ones were ready to march on, unprepared. So after they readied themselves and prepared their inventory, the Templar asked them to sit, so they could talk about the mission, and what would be each one’s roles once it started.

“According to Lügner’s intel, there are only a few of them in the hideout during the day, since most of the group is out looting and stealing. That’s good for us. We can sneak in, take them out while they are unaware of us, and secure the place for the Guard to come.”

“Would it be better to wait for them to come back, and when they are at their most vulnerable, like, drunk or asleep, with go with a full frontal strike? Like, to take them all out at once, no chance for reinforcements.”

Lorna asked Garthas, and he was kind of amused that she seemed serious.

“It would be a good option if we had a strong force in numbers, a few army. Besides, it’s not our mission to take them all out. Our mission is to secure the stolen cargo and retrieve the Shield piece. We don’t need a whole combat for that.”

She shrugged, and it was unsure if she understood or agreed with Garthas, but at least she wasn’t willing to respond.

“But what if we get caught while sneaking in? We would need to fight them then, no?”

Khaen asked, innoncetly. Garthas replied, having already run that scenario in his mind.

“Yes, we would. And we probably will. I don’t think this mission will go as smoothly as I wanted it to be. We will need to fight, eventually. And we will need to take some of them down. We just need to pick the right battles, and strike precisely where they hurt.”

“Their crotch.”

Lorna said, unwavering. And completed, once she saw their looks at her.

“This is where they hurt the most, the crotch. Their eyes too, but it’s much harder to hit. Maybe their throats…”

“No, I meant strategically. Instead of spending energy fighting through dozens of lesser thugs, we strike directly at their chief. This will lower morale, and prompt a few of them to run away.”

Garthas explanation made sense to Lorna, and that was something that Khaen had already learned as well, so he completed.

“Instead of wasting time in a fistfight with a fully armored foe, go beyond to the back lines to get the Archers and Spellcasters, right!?”

The Dragonkin nodded, proud to see that his pupil was indeed listening to his teaching and that he learned something that would be useful one day. And that day was today.

“Well, I’ll try my best, but I can’t promise anything. I’m not used to this, and every time I had to do something like this, I was on my own, and I fight fought or flew.”

Taking his hand and placing it on her shoulder, Garthas spoke with a soft voice, unlike him, but that Khaen had heard a few times in the past.

“Don’t worry Lorna. You won’t be on your own this time. We’ll be there to help and protect you.”

“And you, to protect us. We’re a team now, Miss Lorna. And we’re all in this together.”

Khaen joined, placing his hand on her other shoulder. Lorna thought about it for a second, still with a serious expression on her face, but managed to let out a small smile.

“Just call me Lorna, dammit.”

The hideout was an old ruin of grey stones, a building far from the city - or any city, really. It may have been an advanced post, or watch tower, but it was hard to be certain now, in its current state. But despite being a ruin, it was still very much habitable. The walls still stood firm, and the holes in it didn’t compromise its structure; there was a wooden door, probably a newer addition; and it was hidden enough that a passer-by wouldn’t notice it amongst the trees and rocks that surrounded the place. It was a two-story building now (not sure if it has always been the case), but it didn’t have a roof, even if the walls were high enough to protect the upper floor from outside onlookers.

The trio approached from what could be considered its backside, the opposite side of the door. There were no windows there - or holes for that matter, and they sneaked in close, led by Garthas. As soon as he touched the building, his back to the walls, he stopped and waited for the other two to join him.

“We’ll circle around to the door as quietly as we can, and when I open the door, I want you both to be ready to shoot anyone standing inside, taking out as many as you can. Okay?”

He said in a very low voice, trying not to make too much noise. The other two nodded affirmatively, and Lorna took out her short bow while Khaen prepared his magic focus.

Garthas’s armor made more noise than it should, but it didn’t seem to matter, as none of them could hear anything inside. It was like the place was empty. And as soon as they reached the door, the Dragonkin gave one last look to make sure his friends were ready and opened the door as quickly and quietly as he could.

The place inside was a large, round room, with not much besides a few pieces of furniture and even some debris. On the far end, to the other side, a visible stone stairway stretched to the upper floor along the wall, but that was it. Laying on the floor were two men (a Human and a Half-Elf), in a makeshift bed made of skins and cloth. They seemed asleep, and when the door was opened, one of them turned to look at it. Sitting on a wooden chair by the wall, about halfway to the stairs, a third person (Human female) was watching the outside of the place through a hole in the wall, and she too turned to the door when it opened. Those were the first two to get hit. A bolt of electricity hit the men on the floor, knocking them out immediately. The woman got up just to be hit on the head by a blunt-ended arrow by Lorna, falling to the floor. There was a moment of silence and then footsteps. A fourth person, hidden from view by a cupboard, made a run to the stairs. but as soon as they reached the second step, they slipped on what seemed to be an oily substance, a gift from Khaen’s repertoire. And it was silence again.

“I’m going to check upstairs.”

Said Khaen, to which Garthas acknowledged. However, Lorna held his arm.

“Just look to check if there is anyone. There won’t be any loot up there. I bet they keep it underground somewhere.”

Understanding her point, Khaen only went halfway up the stairs, and from there surveyed the place. More old furniture - tables, chairs, barrels… a few crates with what seemed to be cloth and weapons, but no person to be seen, and no place for them to be hidden. So he turned his attention back to the ground floor.

At the door, slightly ajar now, Garthas kept a lookout while Lorna scoured the room, looking for anything useful or any tip on where the stolen goods were taken. It took her less than two minutes to find a hidden trapdoor, under the cupboard. With Khaen taking Garthas place, the Templar used his strength to move the furniture, so they could access the passage.

“It’s locked. Maybe one of them has the key? Khaen, search them!”

Garthas thought about hitting the padlock with his weapon, but it would definitely draw attention, so he saved it as a last resort. As Khaen moved from unconscious person to unconscious person, Lorna sat on the floor and took the lock in her hands.

“Hang on, I think I can pick it…”

She took a short metal wire from her pocket and twisted it a certain way. With patience and precision, a clicking sound was heard, and the lock was open. Before opening the trapdoor, Garthas gave the team new directions.

“I’ll go in first, and I’ll charge forward. There will be no way to hide down there, so I count on you both to have my back and to watch out for any bandit I miss, okay? Stay behind me and keep up.”

Again, they understood and took their positions.

The trapdoor opened to a stairwell down, first made of stone like the ruin itself, but then just rock and solid earth. It looked like an entrance to a cave of some sort. Lorna made sure to block the trapdoor on this side, to make sure no one would get them from behind, and the group followed the path down in a single line.

The corridor was narrow at first, with not much space for more than two people to stand side by side, but soon widened, artificially, and Garthas made sure to stand right in the middle, with his shield up, to block any chance of getting past him. There were wooden beams at certain points, torches between several meters, and the walls seemed to have been smoothed and expanded somehow. The path, however, continued in only one way, until it narrowed again, and a new set of stairs could be seen ahead.

Just like the one they left behind, the steps ended on a wooden trapdoor. Garthas tried to push it up quietly, but couldn’t. There seemed to be something blocking it, most probably a cupboard or a cabinet. There was no lock on their side of the door. He turned back to Lorna and Khaen and, speaking as softly as he could, asked for ideas.

“I could try to blow it up with an explosion, but the corridor is too narrow, it would probably get us too.”

That was all Khaen could think of, and Lorna didn’t seem to have anything else either. If was up to Garthas to solve it, then. This time, with brute force.

“Follow me, then. I’ll open it, one way or another, however I can.”

“What about ‘sticking to the plan’ and ‘being stealthy’?”

Lorna asked as the Dragonkin prepared to shoulder the door open with all his strength.

“This is the part we improvise. I’m counting on you two.”

And using his shield as support, he placed himself under the door and, with a loud groan that turned into a roar, he pushed the door up with all his strength, breaking it and opening passage!

On the other side of the door, the chair positioned halfway atop the trapdoor was thrown aside, and the cabinet fell on its side, over the woman sitting right next to it. Caught off guard, she didn’t have time to react or warn someone, but the noise was enough to alert the rest of the house. Turning from the window and coming in from the door, three people stood ready as the group emerged from the ground.

It was a small one-room cabin, all made of wood. And as soon as Garthas stood inside the place, an arrow hit his chest armor, scratching the metal. Without hesitation, he dashed toward the door, where the archer stood, and hit them with his hammer. He was followed by Lorna, who jumped out and went straight to the men at the window, throwing herself at him over a table, daggers in hand, pushing him through the glass and falling outside the cabin. She stood up quickly, fast enough to see Khaen conjure up a ball of fire that he threw over Garthas head, exploding on the two people behind the first one hit by the Templar.

They glanced around swiftly and made sure the battle was over. They could now search the place more carefully.

“Great display, you two. Fast, and precise.”

Garthas praised the young ones. Khaen smiled, proud of himself, while Lorna just shrugged it off, more interested in what she saw at one corner of the cabin.

“Look, those crates, they look new. Is this the stolen loot?”

The cabin itself was clearly old but was in a good state. No holes in the walls, the door worked, it had windows - ‘had’, they were now broken. Overall, a regular common place, from the outside. However, on one side of the single room was a huge pile of wooden crates, vases, and bags of cloth and leather. It looked like the kind of baggage a cavern transports or how you store your stuff before putting them on a carriage wagon. And seeing how well armed the people there was, and the fact that an underground tunnel connected this seemingly regular old cabin to a bandit hideout in the ruins of a watchtower, it was safe to assume those were stolen goods, from not only the transport they were looking for but more. There were at least three wagons worth of goods there. The bandits probably transported the valuables they stole, from the hideout to this place, to keep it safe.

“Great, we found it. Khaen, let the Guard know where we are. Lorna, help me find the Shield.”

The boy immediately pulled a few ingredients from his bag, and moved away from the cabin a few steps, standing just outside of it. As he pronounced words in a different language, his fingers glowed, and the small piece of paper he had in hand, dissolved. He touched his lips, closed his eyes, and said, softly, for only him to listen.

“Sir Montgomery, we found the stolen goods. They are in a wood cabin at my location. Bring three wagons, reinforcements.”

While Khaen sent the magical message to the Guard, Garthas and Lorna looked through the crates and bags for the piece of the Holy Shield they were sent to retrieve. There were a lot of things there, from fine cloth to decorative objects, too expensive adornments, and even some finely crafted weapons and armor pieces. Yet, they could not find the thing they were looking for.

“What if it’s not here? What if they knew what it was and already sold it, or took it someplace else? We’d never know!”

Lorna commented, frustrated at the possibility of, not only doing it all for nothing but also failing the first mission the Guild gave her.

“We have to trust our intel. Adelhart said it was still with them, so we keep looking. It’s fair, they probably didn’t know about this storage place, but still, we will go through every and each item here, to make sure.”

Sighing loudly at Garthas’s reply, Lorna herself didn’t reply but started throwing things around, impatiently, while looking for the Shield. They spent the next five or ten minutes in this search, with Khaen joining them for the last few minutes, after making sure no one else was around to catch them by surprise.

Then, randomly, a piece of the broken glass from the window came loose and fell to the ground, making a noise as it hit the rest of the glass on the floor. The group stood up abruptly, startled and ready for more enemies, but there was no one to be seen. Garthas took the front and, Warhammer in hand walked a few steps in the direction of the broken window. He stopped and loosened his grip on the weapon, setting it at his side. The other two only saw his back but could swear they heard a snicker coming from the man.

“It seems we are in luck, my friends. They didn’t know what they had in their possession.”

With one hand, he reached at a pile of papers on the table. Actually, to a makeshift paperweight above them. A large piece of metal, adorned with a golden plate and what looked like a sun, or part of one.

“Let’s not tell the Guild in what state we found their precious Sacred Symbol of a Holy Shield.”

He turned around with the piece of the Shield in his hand, and a smile on his face. Both Lorna and Khaen burst out laughing, relieved they could in fact finish their mission and call it a success.

And with the item recovered, they didn’t have to wait for the Guard. As soon as they were all ready, they took the road again, back to the City of Pearlhollow, and the Hallowguard. They had completed their mission and were ready to be accepted as members of the Guild.

“I’m so telling Adel where we found the shield!” Lorna snorted, at one point.

Seeing the trio walk away from the cabin from the top of a nearby tree, Thalia climbed down, throwing away the rest of the small rocks she had picked. She was glad she could draw their attention to the table with only one of it, and thankful they managed to finish their mission on their own, without her help.

As a Smallfolk and an experienced Scout, she could stay there for a few hours, and even take out a few of the bandits herself, if needed, without being detected, but she preferred to only observe now. She was not a fan of all the fighting and killing. Not anymore.

As she approached the broken window and entered the cabin to wait for the Guard, she passed by the table where a piece of the Holy Shield was being used as a paperweight. She smiled and glanced at the papers. Something there caught her attention, and she did a double take. Reaching for the papers she pulled a single sheet, a note, written in thick black ink.

“Keep the piece of broken metal apart from the rest. They are not yours, they are not for sale. I already have someone interested in it. The Court of Shadows will pay us handsomely for it. Just make sure I can find it when I arrive.

Ass. Garbin”